To think that it isn't insane to have a 'just in case' bag?

[WeeOrcadian]

DH thinks I'm being overly cautious with this, I don't. So I thought I'd get the opinion of the hive mind.

I'm very forgetful and often get stressed if I haven't got something I need - even basics, like lip balm. It makes me feel even more unorganised than I already am.

It's a pencil case, so isn't huge, but it contains lots of essentials and some not essential items.

I have suspected ND (currently undergoing investigation) and I saw someone online had made one. Boom. Brilliant idea.

I tend to take it with me to work, just in case, hence the name of it!

Thoughts?

I even have spare deodorant in my car after forgetting to apply it once.

Omg, you should meet my DH. He has a rucksack with various pockets and pouches. He has everything from a puncture repair kit, duct tape, and zip ties to hair bands, lip balm and plasters. I never have to carry anything.

I’m type one diabetic wearing an insulin pump so I leave the house with a number of things related to this. We also live on a narrow boat. Important documents are in a bag that is easily grabbable just in case!
some people have bug out bags for other types of emergencies if you are a serious prepper. We are not quite there yet. I have a house handbag - it contains diabetes stuff, chargers and pens. It’s an old Radley bag that looks like something Miss Marple would use. Then stuff transferred to outdoor bag when leaving the house.

This makes perfect sense to me. I have a pencil case with my 'essentials' in - paracetamol, strip of regular meds, sanitary products, hand gel etc. I just move it between work bag and everyday day bag along with my keys and purse. In the car I have a small holdall with a wash bag and change of clothes, torch, blanket and power bank. I travel 1hr to office over the moors and on more than one occasion have been able to get to work but not home again when snow hits!

I have more of a prepper style 'just in case' bag (and I'm not generally a prepper, it's just the one bag!) but it came in super handy the other day when my entire town (and two around it) lost power for an hour. I had camping lanterns plus a windup radio, which great as the power cut was so bad that mobile towers were down too, so it was the only way to check the world was still going! It doesn't have loads in it - some over the counter medicine I regularly take, a spare pair of glasses, a solar charger, a power bank.

I think I will add some other basics too it now.

It's a great idea. As someone who has had anxiety, having those backups keeps your mind from worrying about illogical things. Odds are you won't need them, but if you do, you're prepared.

Sounds like standard issue handbag territory. What's your husband got to do with it. Non issue

I have all that sort of stuff separately in each bag, but it makes way more sense to have everything in one bag.
I used to travel a lot with work and my going away bag had a compete set of toiletries, make up and a phone charger to save to the trouble of remembering to pack everything.

seems very sensible to me.

Yep, I have one too - sanitary products, paracetamol, mints, tissues, mini deodorant, dental floss face powder, lip balm and a comb are in mine.

That's normal handbag stuff. I have a pocket with hairties, lipbalm, tampon, pen Panadol, hand sanitizer, mirror.
I'd tell your husband to butt out.

I mean - I keep a first aid kit in the car (with some additions like pain pills), plus a little washbag with toothbrush/paste and bits and pieces. Plus of course water, tyre stuff, battery pack that can jump the car, wipes, and other car bits.

And if I'm going out with the kids, then there's a little inner pocket in the rucksack that has a mini first aid kit, pain pills, pen/pad, torch, heating and cooling packs, battery pack, wipes, tissues

And when we go on holiday it's the same again, but with a few more bits and pieces because it's a longer stay

I think it's normal. But I am also known as the person to ask if someone falls over or needs something because everyone knows I'm likely to be over-prepared (I figure that's better than underprepared, and the stuff has to be used before it goes out of date anyway)

I have to be with my mum though to have tissues or cash on hand, I haven't quite ascended to that level of grown up yet.

I have one of these in all the main bags that I use (handbag, work bag, day out rucksack), each with roughly the same things in them: lip balm, deoderant, hairbrush, hair bands, nail file, asprin/ibuprofen, throat/cough sweets, eye drops, tampons, tissues, indigestions tablets etc.
And in my car I also have a penknife, string, resuable cup, blanket, mini first aid kit (that goes into my rucksack if we're doing a long walk through the woods or whatever) and water.
Not weird at all, OP.

I actually have three in each of my main bags.

I find it very helpful.

Mine are in clear freezer bags so I can check contents quickly

Lady Galatine and I each have a sports holdall in our wardrobe with things we might need for the first day or two of an unexpected admission to hospital. You might feel the this is overdoing it. However during covid we were, at different times both admitted to hospital, (not Covid related). It was quite a faff getting things together, hence our current state of readiness.

Oh yes!!! Good point, thank you. I will 🤣🤣🤣

Yes, I too thought this would be a go bag! With energy bars, a knife and fishing line, tent making equipment, water purification tablets etc. Which are a bit more extreme, than your supply of handy day to day items.

i carry a small purse with useful condiments, sugar/salt/ketchup/vinegar etc

Your DH is way off the mark here.

I’m going to steal your idea. It’s great.

This sounds pretty mundane and normal

I thought you were going to say some sort of bag packed for an underground bunker in case of a nuclear war. Not lip balm

I have an overnight bag packed, pyjamas, flip flops, underwear, skincare, toothbrush, hairbrush, toothpaste, skincare, five days of medication.

I was rushed to hospital a few years ago ago and my GP helped me to get a few things together while waiting for an ambulance, focused my mind.

That's the kind of stuff I've always carried in my bag since I was a teenager. More than once I've been able to help others with my basic supplies, and of course I use them, too.

I thought this was going to be a SHTF/bug-out bag, which I think is probably a good idea, as well, though I haven't actually put one together (yet).

I call mine a handbag.

There is no way a pencil case worth of just in case stuff could be excessive.

I bet he occasionally makes use of something you’re carrying..

Now if you’d said you don’t leave home without a 3 day emergency hold-all, I might think that a tad excessive.

I don't have a small one, although most of those things could be found if you dared look through the armrest or gloves box of my car

I keep my cabin size suitcase packed and ready to go either for work so I just have to add my day clothes and laptop + accessories or as a hospital bag.
So it always has spare charger, full size shampoo + conditioner, hair brush + bands, deodorant, san pro, lip balm, nail scissors, razor, some cash.

Then a packing cubes each for me and DD in different colours which I remove for work trips that have:
2 x night dresses
5 X t-shirts
5 X leggings
1 X hoody
5 X underwear
5 X socks
1 X bed socks
1 X soft bra
For work trips my cube has a t-shirt + leggings (PJs), 3 X underwear, 3 X socks, door stop and then I just add day clothes, hair straighteners

is He one of those men who leave with nothing except a wallet and keys then expect you to mind stuff and have a constant supply of tissues, pens, everything else to hand?
I can’t see how a pencil case with a few bits in is excessive.